Snap action pull tabs



. June 2, 1964 c. F. HUTCHEON 3,135,409

SNAP ACTION PULL TABS Filed June 12, 1963 197 TOR/V5) in elevated position; and

United States Patent 3,135,409 SNAP ACTIQN PULL TABS Charles F. Hutcheon, 192 Shepherd Lane,

Roslyn Heights, NY. Filed June '12, 1963, Ser. No. 287,308 Claims. (Cl. 215-61) This invention relates to tabs, and more particularly to such tabs as used for opening disc and other closures.

Tabs are provided in a variety of containers for obtaining a grip with the fingers so as to permit removing a disc or other closure member, or for grasping of a tear strip. Where the tab lies sufiiciently fiat to prevent accidnetal opening of the container or damage to the tab, difficulty in grasping it exists and it is the general object of subject tothis objection.

I The tab construction of theinvention consists in a strip fastened at one end, free at the other and normally lying flat, the strip material being of suificiently inextensible the present invention to provide a pull tab which is not 3,135,409 Patented June 2, 1964 ice 1. A pull tab element for opening container closures,

comprising a strip secured atone end to the closure, a free end and an upwardly convex dome adjacent the free end, the strip material being flexible when bent in a single plane of curvature but substantially inextensible, whereby pressing down on the dome causes the same to buckle, becoming upwardly concave and lifting the free end into position for grasping.

'2. A pull tab element for opening container closures,

' comprising a strip secured at one end to the closure, a

character so as to buckle when distorted in two planes of curvature, the tab havingaconvexly domed portion which when depressed buckles so as to become concave, thus lifting the tab end for ready grasping.

A tab construction embodying the invention in a preferred form will now first be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, and the features forming the invention will then be pointed out in the appended claims.

'In the drawing: "FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a milk bottle with closure according to the invention; 7 7 FIG. 2 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of the closure of'FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a section on the line 3 -3 of FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the tab FIGS. 5 and 6 are views similar to FIGS. 2 and 3, showing a modified formof the invention; Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, a milk bottle 1 is shown as provided with a closure 2 seating in the pouring opening of thebottle in the usualmanner. As usual, the

the free end into position for grasping. 3. A pull tab element for opening container closures, comprising a strip secured at one end to the closure, a

bottle neck opening has a wider part Swhere the diso I seats, the inner surface 4above this being slightly flared downwardly and outwardly so that the closure disc 2 snaps in position and elfort is required to remove it,

The pull tab 5 of the invention may be secured to the element with which associated in-any convenient manner, or may be formed integral'therewith. In the construction shown, the tab 5 is, secured at one end to the disc 2 by a staple 6. Adjacent the free endf7 or the tab, it is formed with an upwardly'convex dome 8, pressure on which causesit to buckle downwarldy (so as now to be upwardly concave) thus lifting the end 7 of the tab into position for convenient grasping by the fingers as shown 55 The tab of the invention be madeof' any are variety of materials, including synthetic resins of various 1 types and also metals; It is necessary only that the main FIG. 4;

terial have sufiicient flexibility (when bent-in one plane of curvature) and inextensibility, so as to buckle in the manner described.- In the specific type of milk bottle tab (shown, polypropylene film in a thickness of .010 inch is "satisfactory. i p

The member by which the tab is carried or on which it rests may be indented as shown in FIGS. 5 and '6.

" These figures indicate a closuredisc 12 generally like the in a single plane of curvature but substantially inextensible, whereby pressing down on'the dome causes the same to buckle, becoming upwardly concave and lifting free end lying substantially flat against the container closure surface and an upwardly convex dome adjacent the free end, the strip material being flexible when bent in a single plane of curvature but s'usbtantially inextensible, whereby pressing down on the dornn causes the same to buckle, becoming upwardly concave and lifting the free end into position for grasping, the container closure to buckle, becomin'gupwardly concave and lifting the free end into position for grasping.

5. Apull tab. element for openingcontainer disc closures, comprising a strip secured at one" end to the closure disc, a free end lying substantially fiat against the; container closure surface and'an upwarly convex domeadjacent the free end, the strip material being flexible when bent in a'single plane of curvature but-substan tially inextensible, whereby pressing down on the domecauses the same to buckle, becoming upwardly concave and lifting the free end into position for grasping, the disc surface having a depression accommodating'the strip so that the free end of the strip is below the level of the surrounding surface generally.

j 4 References Cited inth e' file'of this patent V UNITED STATES PATENTS I 

1. A PULL TAB ELEMENT FOR OPENING CONTAINER CLOSURES, COMPRISING A STRIP SECURED AT ONE END TO THE CLOSURE, A FREE END AND AN UPWARDLY CONVEX DOME ADJACENT THE FREE END, THE STRIP MATERIAL BEING FLEXIBLE WHEN BENT IN A SINGLE PLANE OF CURVATURE BUT SUBSTANTIALLY INEXTENSIBLE, WHEREBY PRESSING DOWN ON THE DOME CAUSES THE SAME TO BUCKLE, BECOMING UPWARDLY CONCAVE AND LIFTING THE FREE END INTO POSITION FOR GRASPING. 